Don’t mess with Jess! Fans call out Jessica Simpson for looking heavy — and she’s taking action.

Slammed by trolls and fat shamers, an angry Jessica Simpson takes action

The comments were cruel. After a series of photos made the rounds recently showing Jessica Simpson frolicking in a bikini on a beach in the Bahamas and out in NYC wearing unflattering dresses, trolls took to Twitter to slam the star. “Jessica Simpson either [ gained] weight or is pregnant,” wrote one user, while another simply labeled her “fat.”

It’s nothing Jessica hasn’t heard before — her fluctuating weight has inspired alternating body shaming and body envy over the years — but the words still sting. “She can’t stand it when people call her fat,” a friend says of the 5-foot-3 former Weight Watchers spokeswoman. “She’s been embracing her curves, but when fans and critics called her out for looking dumpy or insisted that she had to be pregnant, she felt embarrassed.” So the 37-yearold star — who currently weighs about 150 pounds, estimates New York–based fitness expert Nadia Murdock (who hasn’t worked with Jessica) — has vowed to take action. “Instead of relying on photoshop like so many other celebrities,” says the friend, “she’s headed for the home gym.”

HER PERSONAL COACH

She already has live-in encouragement: her husband, Eric Johnson, 38. The chiseled 6-foot-3 former NFL player has been advocating for Jessica to live a bit healthier and lay off her favorite indulgences, like pasta and Mexican food. “He’s tired of seeing her slammed for her figure,” says the friend. “Eric thinks she’s sexy when she’s a little more voluptuous than usual. But he’s also pushing her to get back on the treadmill, work out with her trainer and start a new, cleaner diet.”

The mom to daughter Maxwell, 6, and son Ace, 4, has been able to shed weight before. When pregnant with Maxwell, she topped out at 170 pounds but dropped nearly a third of the extra pounds within six months. “When she’s back on the exercise- and weight-loss-regimen horse, Jessica can be very diligent, working out six days a week and staying away from processed foods,” notes the friend.

Most important, Jessica isn’t beating herself up over her body. The Jessica Simpson Collection clothing designer approaches the topic of her weight with a positive attitude and healthy sense of humor. “If I make a shirt, I’m going to make sure every size is available,” Jessica said during an interview about her fashion line in 2017. “Because I have been every size. Trust me.” ◼

The pressure that women feel to be thin is so unfair and so disgusting”

— JESSICA